Artificial respiration (AR) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are two widely taught and employed first aid procedures. AR is used to treat a victim who is no longer breathing and requires the victim's lungs to be periodically filled with air by some artificial means. This procedure ensures the continued oxygenation of the blood supplies to the various portions of the victim's body, until normal breathing can be restored.
CPR is used to treat a victim who is not breathing and whose heart has also stopped. In addition to the periodic filling of the lungs, CPR requires mechanical pressure to be periodically applied to the victim's chest to physically induce contractions of the heart and thereby maintain blood flow through the victim's cardiovascular system. The periodic filling of the victim's lungs with air, common to both AR and CPR, is collectively referred to herein as "respiration."
Although mechanical respirators have been developed for use in performing respiration, in many emergency situations, a mechanical respirator is simply not available. In such situations, a form of respiration known as "mouth-to-mouth" respiration is frequently used.
To perform mouth-to-mouth respiration, the person administering the first aid (the rescuer) first clears the victim's mouth of obstructions and tilts the victim's head back. Then, after pinching the victim's nose shut, the rescuer places his or her mouth over the victim's mouth and exhales to fill the victim's lungs with air. This last step is repeated periodically until the victim's natural breathing is restored or the treatment is otherwise to be discontinued.
As will be appreciated, mouth-to-mouth respiration potentially exposes the rescuer to various types of contamination from the victim. For example, the rescuer may be exposed to contamination from the victim's body fluids. In addition to the victim's saliva, the rescuer of a victim of traumatic or atraumatic cardiopulmonary arrest may be exposed to the victim's sweat, blood, and emesis, which are natural consequences of such arrests. Mouth-to-mouth respiration may also expose the rescuer to viral contamination from the victim. Included in such viral contaminants are hepatitis A, B, and C; human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), herpes simplex, and mononucleosis. The rescuer may further be exposed to fungal contaminants including tuberculosis, coccidiomycosis, and valley fever. Finally, mouth-to-mouth respiration may expose the rescuer to bacterial contaminants including pneumonia, staphylococcus, and streptococcus.
As can be expected, these potential forms of contamination may inhibit a rescuer from offering assistance. This is particularly true when, for example, the victim is unknown to the rescuer, as is usually the case when the rescuer is a member of a police or fire department or hospital staff. Even if assistance is provided, the evaluation of the potential risks to the rescuer may result in treatment being delayed.
As will be appreciated from the preceding remarks, it would be desirable to provide a way to reduce the risks associated with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. In addition to providing protection against contaminants, the flow of air from the rescuer to the victim must not be impeded. Further, because mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is typically performed in emergency circumstances that cannot be anticipated, the device must be compact so that it can be easily and universally carried by emergency personnel, as well as members of the public, at all times. The device must also be low in cost if it is to be universally carried. Finally, the device must be simple to use so that it can be properly employed during emergency circumstances.
In conclusion, it would be desirable to provide a low-cost, compact, simple-to-use respiration mask that protects a rescuer from contaminants without impeding the flow of air to the victim.